Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum Re-Review - VIDEO

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Vedder323

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Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum Re-Review - VIDEO
« on: 30 Mar 2014, 07:13 pm »
Hey gang,

Nearly a yeah ago, I posted my first New Record Day video review of the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum. It was 36 minutes long and I have never been all that happy with it. So, I decided to revisit this review and do it some justice. For those interested, see the links below.

Initial thread for the old review:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=116486.msg1220922#msg1220922

Link to new review:

http://newrecordday.com/rogue-audio-cronus-magnum/

Thanks!

mgalusha

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum Re-Review - VIDEO
« Reply #1 on: 31 Mar 2014, 12:08 am »
Nicely done.  :thumb:

Ericus Rex

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum Re-Review - VIDEO
« Reply #2 on: 31 Mar 2014, 12:18 pm »
I think Neo's Dyna rec's are good advice for this review too.  It starts off great with you talking through all the front/back panel features and bias instructions but then fizzles during the sonic review IMO.  Sadly, there's no air time of the amp playing.  Nor is there a frame of reference for the recordings you've used.  If you're worried about licensing/copyrighting issues than at least mention a few specific recordings which really show off the amp and talk about why you chose those particular recordings.  It would help if these recordings were fairly standard audiophile fare so we can know, and experience, the qualities you're talking about in the recordings themselves and have an idea about how the amp handles these qualities.   I.E. 'in most systems, such-and-such recording gives me a wooly, untamed bass, especially in track X but the Rogue Cronus tackled this wooly beast with authority and blah blah blah.'  If you thought about what a transcript of your video would read like you'll see that there is very little specific info about the sound/performance of this amp.  A video review must still have good information in it.

I hope I'm not coming across too harsh.  You've clearly got some on-screen pizzazz and flair.  And you're aiming high and I can respect that.  But I think if you want to be taken more seriously as a reviewer ( I think this is what you're shooting for) my comments and the comments in the Dyna review will help you quite a bit.

Stereophile may now be looking for a new hipster reviewer now that Meijias is leaving....

mulveling

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Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum Re-Review - VIDEO
« Reply #3 on: 3 Apr 2014, 11:38 pm »
I actually dislike the reviewer pattern of analyzing the bits of specific recordings. I find that there's often zero intersection between the reviewer's musical tastes and mine. With this style, it's inefficient (if even possible) to get a good general sense of the sonic attributes and the reviewer's overall enthusiasm for the gear. I hate sifting through all these recording-specific details I usually don't know about and frankly could care less about. But then I am a software engineer -- I want to extract useful information quickly, and have little patience for reviewers who fancy themselves as wordsmiths.

The other reviewing anti-pattern I hate is the "review in a vacuum". What was the gear compared to? Direct comparisons are better than from memory, but even that's better than nothing. List specific models in these comparisons (e.g. not "competes with models TWICE the price"). As a reviewer, take a strongly opinionated stand -- positive and negative -- in more comparisons. Avoid the typical highly-qualified and/or lukewarm fluff ("good bass for a stand-mount"; "doesn't get embarrassed by <much more expensive model>"; "great performance for the money"). You can't get away from peoples' strong political opinions *everywhere*, yet when it comes to audio gear (where I actually WANT to read strong opinions) you can usually only find them buried in audio forums that are not moderated for "friendliness".

Ericus Rex

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum Re-Review - VIDEO
« Reply #4 on: 4 Apr 2014, 09:56 am »
I find it easier and cheaper to find a reviewer's recordings to use as a reference than to find their associated gear.

Captainhemo

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum Re-Review - VIDEO
« Reply #5 on: 4 Apr 2014, 03:57 pm »
I find it easier and cheaper to find a reviewer's recordings to use as a reference than to find their associated gear.

I'd agree with this,  even if you  don't normally listen to  the  reference  material, it is spomething you can at least make a comparison with.
Ron,  this is just a suggestion but I'd hold off on making  any more "Ron's Picks" award until you have reviewed more gear ,  think the   award would be more meaninful that way .

Keep em coming  :)

-jay

Vedder323

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Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum Re-Review - VIDEO
« Reply #6 on: 4 Apr 2014, 10:40 pm »
You guys asked for it...  ill always do what I can to deliver!

I just hope the UMG police stay off my back!

http://youtu.be/Ua8B60wd084

Ericus Rex

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum Re-Review - VIDEO
« Reply #7 on: 5 Apr 2014, 06:09 pm »
Very nice!  The spl meter is a nice touch.

Thank you!